A Different Side
by Skytterlark
Summary: Katniss does not volunteer for Prim during the reaping. Gale is choosen but Peeta takes his places and Prim goes in to the arena with Peeta.


**Katniss doesn't volunteer for Prim, Gale is picked but Peeta volunteers for him. **

**I do not own the Hunger Series, all belong to Suzanne Collins**

Peeta P.O.V

The day everyone has been dreading is finally here. My mother banged on the door "Wake up! Ya good for nothing!" I just got out of bed and dressed without caring for her screaming. I went downstairs to see my father already started to knead the dough for the bread and buns for the day. "Good morning Peeta. Ready for today?" The only thing I could get out of my mouth was "Yeah." I knew I should have said something more for his nerves. But I just couldn't. I went over to the counter to help him out with the dough. A few minutes later my brothers came down. The rest of the morning was blur to me. My mother screaming at my brothers, the dough is somewhere rising and now I'm walking with my brothers to the reaping.

They gather us at the square and I saw her, it was just a glance but it was so blissful. Katniss Everdeen. We were young, when I first saw her. We were only 5 at that time. She looked so beautiful with her hair tied into two braids. Time goes by, everyday kicking myself to have the guts to talk to her, but as a chicken that I am I didn't. There was a time when I was 11 and I have learned how to bake from my father. I saw her in the rain under a tree, pale and cold.

I knew it was a bad hunting day for her, due to rain the animals especially the rabbits will go to their holes for shelter.

I just could not just sit and watch her like that. I let the bread that was in the oven bake a bit longer until the top of it was a bit black. When I took it out, my mother had just come back from the front at the cash register and saw the bread.

"You idiot! Look the bread is burnt, no one buys burnt bread! Do you know how much this would cost us! Throw it away to the pigs pen and I will deal with you later." as I went out to the back where the pigs were, I looked around to make sure my mother wasn't looking and threw the burnt bread at Katniss giving her a weak smile and went back in to see a belt waiting for me.

Something snaps me back to reality; it was the screeching of the microphone on the stage ahead. A capitol woman stood at the microphone. Anyone would recognize a person from the Capitol because of their clothes; it was always with bright colours and glitters that were really blinding.

"Happy, happy hunger games, ladies first!" her voice was such an annoyance. She dunks her hand into the bowl full of papers that had every child's name on it. As she took out one name everyone was holding their breath. "Prim Everdeen!" my shut eyes went wide and jaws dropped "No! Not her sister. Her sister is the most important living thing to her. After their father died and her mum wasn't doing so well, all they had was each other." I thought and as all this was going on in my head, I heard screaming and crying at the other side of the square. A peacekeeper was carrying the little girl towards the stage and two others was blocking Katniss both crying, screaming and in a lot of pain.

Katniss was pulled to the back of the square and the reaping continued and now it is the boys turn. The capitol lady reached to another bowl and pulled out a piece of paper. As she was struggling to open the paper, people were struggling with their breathing. Then with that annoyance voice of hers she announced "Gale Hawthorne!" Gale one of the boys from school but most importantly, Katniss hunting partner and best friend. No! She can't have another person she cared go; she won't be able to handle it.

"I volunteer! I volunteer!" was the last thing I remembered coming out of my mouth. My brother, who I forgotten that was standing next to me grabbed my hand. "What are you doing?" with worried and sadness in his eyes. "Take care of dad." With that I took his hand of my mine and followed the peacekeeper up to the stage. As I was following the peacekeeper, I could feel everyone's eyes on me and that made my stomach clenched more.

"Well, well, well, this is something you don't see every day!" the Capitol woman said to the microphone. Everything is tuned off; whatever she was saying was just nothing, only to see her mouth move. I scan the crowd, my brother's eyes tearing and of course Katniss dumbstruck face. I didn't really even notice that Prim was standing next to me. Everything was such a blur. I'm back at my room now, my father sobbing in the kitchen along with one of my brothers. My mother announcing to the whole bakery on what an idiot son she has. There was a knock on my door and it was Gale.

"Hey." he said completely numb in his voice. All I could do was lifting my head and gesture him to sit at the chair next to the door. We sat in silence, until Gale broke it "Thank you. I would not know what to do if I were to ever be in the arena. Especially with Prim in it." Just as he said that very sentence, it hit me. I would have to kill Prim if I were to survive. But no, I will not do it. She's everything to Katniss. Gale notices my silence, so he just got up and left.

There were still time before, I would have to get on the train and leave for the capitol. I took out a piece of paper and with the pen that I had to search my whole room for. Sat on my bed and wrote. I heard someone opening and closing the back door probably my mum celebrating. I finished and put the pen on my bed, folded the paper and put it in my pocket. I took a last look around in my room and went downstairs. I went to see my brothers, both of their eyes were bloodshot. We gather around for a group hug and I slip the letter into my older brother's pants, he will know who it for is. My dad came through the back door, I immediately hugged him and with his enormous hands he gave me a pat on my back. "You come home safe! You hear me!" for the first time in a long time I lied "I will."

With a smirk on my mother's face, I went out of the house but before I took another step with the peacekeeper. I turned look straight at my oldest brother look straight at him and pat my pants pocket, he catches on it and felt something in his pocket.

_"There was never a day that you were not in my mind. I always hope that you will notice me when you would sell squirrels in the bakery. There was even a moment when I thought you would finally know that I care about you when I gave you bread on that cold, wet miserable day. But in these, entire scenario you didn't. I guess it was never meant to be. I do know how much Prim and Gale means to you. So I took Gale's place and promise you that I will protect Prim and keep her alive."_

I kept that promise; I kept it until the last Nightlock juice went down my throat and when my surrounding of green turned black


End file.
